


Love has the Shape of Your Lips

by potentialfordisaster



Category: Real Person Fiction, Thor (Movies) RPF
Genre: "Bullying", Alternate Universe, Children can be evil, Friendship, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Teen Angst, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 10:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4432610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potentialfordisaster/pseuds/potentialfordisaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke just wanted Chris, the school's bully, to leave him alone. What he hadn't expected was to find out the boy's secret in the process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love has the Shape of Your Lips

**Author's Note:**

> Tom and Chris are 14-15 here. Sorry for any typos, I didn't review the text.

Luke huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he took his seat in the classroom. It was the third time that week that Chris, the school's bully, came up to him to ask - more like threaten - Luke to do his History homework for him. 

Luke had never liked Chris. Since Luke had arrived at the school six months ago, a small, skinny boy with square glasses and frequent asthma attacks - not that he was any different now - he had taken one look at Chris and promised himself to stay away from the kid. Chris had huge muscles, a fact that he didn't try very hard to hide with all his hanging, sleeveless shirts. When Chris stood up Luke felt like a dwarf, his presence threatening in an effortless way, the perpetual furrow of his brows enough to confirm that no, he didn't like chess and no, he didn't want to chat. But there was only so much avoiding Luke could do when they belonged in the same class, and surely enough, not two weeks later Chris had cornered him against a locker, his voice deeper than any kid their age was allowed to possess, beginning with a low "Hey, kid," and supporting his hand beside Luke's head against the wall to prevent his escape, his body looming threateningly and making Luke curl towards himself, "That Math problems, did you do it?" And next thing Luke knew he had become something of Chris' secretary, except secretaries got paid, while Luke was content to do Chris' homeworks and essays on the repayment of not having his face busted at the end of the day. 

But they were going through some difficult weeks this semester, teacher after teacher demanding more and more homeworks and papers, their deadlines almost overlapping. Luke did his best to handle the double labour but the dark circles under his eyes were enough to attest that he wasn't doing very well with that. 

So he began redoubling his efforts to steer away from Chris' path, avoiding any empty corridors and sometimes even the boys bathrooms. The only time when Luke was vulnerable was during lunch, when he sat by himself at the cafeteria, trying to discern Chris' form or voice amidst the crowded tables and talking hustle. He needed a better strategy, though, because Chris apparently had caught up to his plans and began to accost him at his table, pulling the chair across from Luke's to sit, drawing a nervous gulp out of the boy who'd only stare at his food evenly before Chris crossed his arms above the table, leaning in to say "Hey, do you know that History paper that Mrs Smith was talking about?" 

Adjusting his glasses on his face, Luke sniffled, making sure he had all his material on the table before the teacher could start his class. At the corner of his eye he could see Chris as he entered the classroom, two of his other, similarly buff friends following his lead. Staring down at his notebook as Chris passed his desk, Luke let out a relieved sigh when he heard the sound of wood scraping against the floor as Chris took a seat at the far end of the classroom. This needs to stop, Luke thought, nervously biting the end of his pen as he took notes. 

~*~ 

The problem was that Luke had no friends, so in addition to having no one to back him up he had no one to talk to either, which explained his lack of company during lunch, the main cause to his current complication. 

After waiting in line to get his tray of food and an apple juice, Luke stood awkwardly in the middle of the cafeteria, watching the place after any table with a vacant seat. Most of them were occupied by older students and Luke didn't feel he would be welcomed if he tried his luck with them. His eyes darted to a table at the center of the room, heart beating faster in hope when he saw three kids from his class, Kate, Tom and Edward. Clutching the edges of his tray tighter, Luke took a breath for courage and made his way towards them. 

They were talking animatedly while eating and upon feeling Luke's presence, went quiet and turned their eyes to him. Gaping like a fish, Luke felt scrutinized, wishing he could reach out to adjust his glasses atop his nose, a nervous tick of his. 

"Hi!" A cheerful voice rang, Luke startling and looking up to find Tom's smiling face. 

Tom was the kindest boy in their class. He had a nest of frenzied blond curls atop his head, his eyes blue and gentle. He was skinny, possibly as skinny as Luke himself, though he was taller and his slimness was graceful and elegant instead of awkward and knobby like Luke's. Tom was very talkative, and it wasn't unusual to hear his voice in their classroom as he told everyone about his summer vacations. His white uniform shirt was always pristinely ironed, and he laughed at the stupidest jokes even if just to be polite and not make you feel bad about telling them. Tom had some effeminate ways, but no one was ever cruel to him nor made fun of it because he was too sweet. He was the only one that never laughed when somebody got an answer wrong after being asked by the teacher, he lent everyone his pencils even though most of them were never returned and Luke remembered that Tom had once walked him to the infirmary when he had had an asthma attack during their PE class. 

"Uhm- hi." Luke mumbled, looking down at his own tray shyly. 

"Do you want to sit with us?" Tom asked, ignoring the funny look his friends sent his way. 

Luke hadn't been waiting to be propositioned, had instead struggled to formulate his own request to sit with them, but Tom was nice like that to do the favour for him and spare him the humiliation. "Y-You wouldn't mind?" he asked unsurely. 

"Of course not!" Tom happily replied, indicating the seat beside him for Luke to sit. "It's Luke, right? We were talking about that History paper for tomorrow. I'll write about the French Revolution, what about you?" 

Luke took his seat after a low "Excuse me," that apparently no one had heard. Edward and Kate didn't look like they were brimming with joy like Tom but they made no comments and paying close attention now, their looks weren't so unfriendly like Luke had imagined before, they appeared more curious than hostile. Luke had his fork in a tight grip as he started slicing his meat, "Uh, I was thinking about the Protestant Reformation." Luke said. He still had to think about Chris' topic since he'd be the one writing it for him. 

"Hmm, nice." Tom smiled after taking a sip of orange juice. Blushing, Luke thanked him, feeling a strange sort of pride when he turned to see Edward and Kate's approving n nods. 

Chris didn't approach him that day. 

~*~ 

Which didn't mean he didn't next week, at the boys bathroom during break before their last class. Dismayed and feeling like a failure, Luke sat at the steps leading to the playground at the back of the school, staring off into space with a frown. If only Chris could cut him a slack and do one or another paper, it'd be fine, but having to do all of them was too much. Just when Luke thought he had been making progress in his academic life with his almost friendship with Tom and his friends. 

He sighed. At this time these parts of school were empty save for two little girls talking quietly at the swings. A sound startled him, and Luke turned around to find Ben leaning against a wall. The boy walked towards Luke, taking a seat beside him at the steps, stretching his legs and yawning. 

"Hey there," Ben mumbled. 

Ben was a weird character. He was a couple years older than Luke but was still stuck in school because his grades sucked. You could find him at the most desert parts of school because he was always skiping classes to nod off to noisy music playing on his earphones. Legend has it that Ben knows everything about everyone, and Luke shifted to put some distance between them. 

Luke didn't really know what to say because he had never imagined himself engaging into a conversation with Ben of all people, and cleared his throat before a quiet "Hey." 

"You sad?" Ben asked, a hand rummaging inside his pocket as he eyes the playground. 

Luke stared at his shoelaces, remembering his and Chris' encounter a few minutes ago. He shrugged, "Kind of." 

Ben chuckled, but before Luke could turn affronted eyes to him, he continued. "That Chris giving you problem?" 

Luke gaped, watching Ben's profile as the boy hummed, taking a cigarette from his pocket. "How do you know that?" 

Ben laughed, almost spitting his cigarette. Luke drew his elbows in, watching him awkwardly. Ben didn't answer him, not even after his laughter had subsided, but Luke couldn't pass up an opportunity of finding a solution to his problem, and Ben, strange as he was, looked like he might have it. "I don't know what to do anymore," Luke sighed, hoping his helplessness would soften Ben's heart. 

Ben hummed in thought, rummaging through another pocket after a lighter, his cigarette dangling from between his lips. "That's because he knows your weakness." 

Luke frowned, scraping his shoe against the floor. "My weakness?" 

Ben nodded, clicking his tongue when he didn't find a lighter. "Yeah. You can't say no to people, and you're scared of his size." Ben explained, Luke looking up at him with newfound respect. He didn't know when this had turned into a therapeutic session but he certainly wouldn't complain if he could take something out of this. "That's why he keeps coming after you. Do you have a lighter, kid?" 

"Hm," Luke searched his pocket to make it look like he was trying so he could pass some implicit test to gain Ben's trust. "No, sorry." 

Ben shrugged, giving up on his cigarette. He moved to stand up and go, but Luke desperately turned to him. "Wait, but- About this thing with Chris, what do I do? How do I make him stop?" 

Ben stood nonetheless, hands tucked inside his pockets as he grinned. "Well, if he's found your weakness, I say find his." 

Luke faltered. "He doesn't have any." 

Ben laughed again, this time louder, attracting the little girls' attention. He patted Luke's shoulder when he was finished, as if congratulating him for his excelent sense of humor. "Trust me, kid, he has." 

Luke licked his lips, staring at Ben as if his life depended on him. "Do you know what it is?" he asked, Ben raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "Please, could you tell me? I- I really need it. I'm getting almost to no sleep because of him, and I-" 

Ben raised a hand to stop him. "Jesus, kid, calm down." he chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Chris has a weakness," Ben stated, looking very amused as he smiled for no reason. "A very, very big, curly and blond weakness." 

Luke frowned, confused. For a second he hadn't understood Ben's words until it finally dawned on him. Luke made a face, finding it impossible to believe that Chris- "He likes..." he paused, watching Ben intently, the boy nodding to assist him. "Tom?" 

Ben smirked, looking like a shark. Luke snorted, Ben's brows furrowing in mild disapproval. "He likes Tom? That's it? His weakness is Tom?" Luke continued, his disbelief plain and clear. 

Ben watched him for some time, taking on a more serious expression before he nodded and went back to staring at the far away landscape. "Yeah. He has a huge crush on the kid since they were little." 

Well, that was understandable. Tom was very much what Luke would classify as pretty, his personality added to his charm, and it clearly wouldn't be so difficult to fall head over heels for him. But Chris? Big, silent and moody Chris? It was so contrasting that Luke couldn't blame himself for taking so long to digest the thought. He still wasn't over his impression that Ben was crazy but his correct guess on Luke's own problems and weakness added some credibility to his opinion, not to say that thinking about it now, Luke thought he perhaps had seen Chris snooping a surreptious look Tom's way, staring away almost immediately, as if criticizing himself. 

~*~ 

Luke couldn't waste anymore time thinking it over, though, because exams were coming up and he needed his time to study. He still didn't know how Chris managed to achieve reasonable grades when he never did his homework but perhaps he had another kid to scare away that could help him with that. Anyway, he needed to put his cards on the table if he wanted to get out of this mess, which he wanted very much. 

His plan was simple: interrogate Chris after his crush on Tom the next time the boy showed up. It was very risky. Chris could become offended and punch him, or even, he could become angry for having been discovered and punch him nonetheless. Luke carried antiseptic wipes with him anyway. 

He could end up worsening his situation, for sure. But Luke had high hopes that speaking up against Chris could serve him well; the boy certainly wouldn't feel so unbeatable anymore. Right? 

~*~ 

Luke's opportunity showed up as he washed his hands in the third floor's boy bathroom, the place just recently promoted his and Chris' HQ. He looked up at the mirror upon hearing the door open, watching Chris' reflection at the other side of the room as he walked up to Luke, laying a heavy hand on his shoulder and opening his mouth to start. 

Not missing a beat, Luke had less than a second to decide himself, ending up spitting the words in a rickety panic, with much less confidence and grace than he had imagined in his dreams: "You have a crush on Tom Hiddleston, don't you?" 

For a moment it looked like Chris hadn't understood his words, his mouth hanging open as his blue eyes narrowed, as though Luke was a mist that he couldn't very well focuse his gaze entirely on. "What?" he mumbled, his hold on Luke's shoulder tightening, making the boy's heart beat increase powerfully. Not waiting for his answer, though, Chris let go of him, giving an hesitant step back and still looking at him as if Luke had turned out to be a surprise, which he definitely hadn't been waiting for. 

Luke gathered his courage - which wasn't much, but in these moments you had to make do -, licking his lips nervously and praying that his voice wouldn't fail when he next accused: "Tom Hiddleston. From our class. You like him, don't you?" 

Chris stood immobile, quiet. His mouth was still open and Luke was preoccupied because he still hadn't seen him blink, his eyes bored into Luke. Palms sweaty, Luke tried to find something else to say, afraid Chris would close the distance and punch him in the face. He adjusted his glasses, eyes darting around the bathroom until falling on a pamphlet attached to the wall, advertising their school's party, an event that was always held at their gynasium to "support and encourage inter-schoolar friendship". Luke had never participated but he knew you usually went with a date, so not thinking clearly about what he was getting himself into, he turned to Chris, "The party," he shouted without meaning to, breaking the silent spell that had fallen and visibly startling Chris. Swallowing nervously, Luke admonished himself internally and continued, "You should take him. Invite him, I mean." he concluded, adding as an afterthought, "Tom." though it fell flatly between them and he felt he really didn't have to have said that, Chris knew who he was talking about. 

It looked like the tables had turned because here Luke was, standing with closed fists, lips clipped and waiting for a scared and pale Chris to say something. "I-" Chris mumbled, licking his lips and turning his gaze to the pamphlet. "I don't know." 

So it was true. Chris' lack of denial proved it. Luke gaped in utter shock and Chris stared at him as if not quite understanding. It occurred to him that he was acting a little bit crazy but if it prevented Chris' punches then Luke was on the gain. 

Gulping and startling when the bell rang outside, Luke cleared his throat before amending. "I think he would like to go. With you." he added the last part uncertainly. 

"Did he tell you that?" Chris asked, eyes bulging and giving a step closer. Luke flinched but tried to make nothing out of it, shrugging. Chris had undoubtedly noticed that Luke used to eat his lunch with Tom and his friends now, so Luke took in the role of Tom's confidant easily. 

A younger boy interrupted them upon opening the door, but he took one look at Chris before his resolve to use the bathroom flagged and he scurried away. Breathing short, Luke swallowed and turned to Chris, the boy sparing the door a last glance before speaking uncertainly, rubbing his arm. "I don't think he-" he paused, continuing on a whisper, "I don't think he likes me back. I mean," he shrugged, looking down at his own body as if his height and size explained why Tom wouldn't like him. 

Luke didn't want to compromise himself by saying something he wasn't sure of, so he waited until Chris said something else. "But if he told you..." Chris looked up at him hopefully, and it saddened Luke because he realized he had also commited a mistake. It never even crossed his mind that Chris perhaps had also been the victim of certain prejudices, and like everyone else, Luke had imagined Chris didn't possess any sentiments other than rage. But if he analyzed it right now, he had never seen Chris punching anyone, he hadn't even threatened Luke openly, never raised a fist against him. Luke did Chris' homeworks because he was afraid of what the boy could do if he didn't, but he would've never even spoken to him if it wasn't for that. Perhaps Chris did that because after so much time being lonely, he thought the only way he could survive was by using his strength. 

"He told you, right?" Chris asked, taking Luke out of his thoughts. Clearing his throat, Luke watched him with newfound conscience, shrugging. "I don't know, but why don't you try?" he replied, standing in mute shock when Chris smiled, nodding in something like gratefulness. 

"Okay. Tell him- No, don't tell him." he held out a hand as if Luke was about to run and tattle on him. "But, like, tell him that he should wait, okay? Wait to see if someone, you know, invites him." 

"All right." Luke concluded, because he was surprised and also late for class. 

Chris nodded again, not taking his eyes out of Luke even as he reached for the doorknob. Luke shifted uncomfortably, Chris looking at him almost in adoration. "Right," the boy mumbled as he stepped out of the room. "Right, Luke." 

Luke had no idea Chris knew his name. 

~*~ 

It happened the next day. Luke was eating his lunch with Edward, Kate and Tom as they were used to when one of Chris' buff friends, a brunette with loose clothes, walked up to them and poked Tom's shoulder. 

They all went silent when Tom turned around, his easy smile fading upon seeing the boy, eyes widening in quiet fear. "Yes?" he asked, laying his cutlery softly beside his tray. 

The boy motioned with a big thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the doors that led to the playground outside. "Someone wants to talk to you." he said on a nosy voice. 

"To me?" Tom asked uncertainly, a slight pinch between his brows. The boy nodded stiffly, and turned on his heels without waiting for Tom to follow. 

Blinking in confusion and surprise, Tom swallowed, face pale as he stood up, Kate reaching out for his hand to stop him. "Tom, are you crazy? You can't go." 

"Why not?" Tom defied. 

"Those boys mean trouble." Kate whispered, eyes wandering around the suddenly quiet cafeteria, everyone having no doubt watched as the boy showed up to talk to Tom. 

Tom looked undecided, as if he too wanted to stay, but after some time, he gulped, squaring his jaw and pulling his hand out of Kate's grasp as he made to the doors. 

Everbody watched in mute expectation as the doors flapped shut, and after a silent minute, all of them stood on their feet, giggling collectively as they ran towards the doors after Tom. Luke gasped, his cutlery falling on the table with a clank. He heard as a boy pulled another, saying something of which Luke could only understand the word "fight". 

They thought someone was about to beat Tom up. Before Luke could do something other than gasp though, he felt Kate's hand on his wrist, pulling him up and along as she stood next to Edward, her blue eyes wide with fear, hers and Edward's footsteps large as they followed the crowd, the hems of her skirt flapping and her braid untwining. 

Everybody was hiding behind a wall, probably all stoppered by the same sight that had Luke and Edward and Kate freezing on their place. At a considerable distance, next to the mini basketball court, Chris stood, leaning against the grid, staring down at his feet as he kicked some dirt around, doing a lot of shrugging as he apparently mumbled something to Tom, who stood petrified in front of him. Luke gasped, his breathing beginning to shorten and constricting his chest in that weird pressure he had began to liken to his asthma attacks. Tom looked exactly like Luke's mother had looked that day when a weird homeless had accosted them on the sidewalk, a dirt hand stretched out after any coins. His eyes were wide, his posture uncertain as though he wanted to flee, his hands squeezing the hem of his meticulously ironed uniform shirt, leaving the material creased. 

Suddenly Luke couldn't stand it anymore, and gave a staggering step back, Kate looking over her shoulder curiously as everybody shooed everybody around them, giggling and whispering "what is he saying?". She seemed to sense there was something wrong with him, and when she pulled him back to the cafeteria, Edward turned to them quickly, taking one look at Luke before nodding and letting them go, pressing himself against the other bodies as he tried to listen in. 

Luke was taking in long gulpfuls of breath but at each pull his shoulders seemed to hunch in over his chest. Kate asked him after his spray, and Luke pointed at his backpack atop his seat in the cafeteria. She promptly retrieved it, Luke fumbling with his own hands as he put the pump between his teeth, pressing the stopper and sucking the air in. Kate patted his back soothingly, and Luke looked up at her with renewed respect. His breathing returned to normal, and when he was about to voice his thanks to Kate, both turned around abruptly when a loud sound of collective laughter echoed from outside, the doors to the cafeteria bursting open not one second later as all the children ran back inside, laughing so hard they clutched their bellies. 

The kitchen ladies appeared to see what the commotion was all about, and it took several teachers and carers to calm the children down. Edward walked in, his face pale, not looking like he had seen anything funny. He sat in front of Luke and Kate at their table, their food forgotten in front of them. They all exchanged looks, waiting for Edward to say something while the boy looked down at the tabletop. 

"Edward," Kate called, breaking the silence. "What happened? Where's Tom?" she still had a hand on Luke's shoulder, and they both leaned in to hear what Edward had to say while the boy gulped and shook his head. 

Lips thinning, Kate clicked her tongue in impatience, promptly looking to the side at the still giggling students, pulling the sleeve of a younger boy that passsed their table and tugging him closer. The boy's eyes bulged, but like everybody else he was still giggling. "What happened out there?" Kate asked, tugging on his sleeve insistently, speaking loud to be heard over the sound of children laughter. 

"Chris asked Tom to be his date for the party next week," the boy said, loudly. Luke froze, tightening his hold on his pump. Edward and Kate gasped, mouth gaping in absolute shock and surprise as the boy broke out into giggles in front of them, biting his lip before shouting the last part "And Tom said a big no." 

~*~ 

The rest of the day was hell. Tom showed up ten minutes after the lunch time was over, Luke, Edward and Kate dutifully waiting for him at their table in the cafeteria. He looked like he had seen a ghost, his lips pale, fingers shaking slightly as he walked in slow steps, sitting down and gulping several times, eyes glued to a point above Kate's head. 

None of them said anything, only watching Tom in preoccupation. Luke felt an insurmountable guilt gnawing at his heart. If it wasn't for him and his stupid words none of this would've happened. He wouldn't have scared Tom so much, wouldn't have caused that turmoil among the children, wouldn't have hurt Chris' feelings and made him the laughing stock of the school. But he felt ashamed, cowardly so, couldn't make himself say anything, didn't know where to begin to apologize. 

"Do you think you can go back to class, Tom?" Kate asked softly, her way of asking if he was okay without nosing in his business and immediately asking after what had happened. 

Tom nodded shakily, giving a short smile before taking his backpack, Edward helping him. The four of them walked out of the cafeteria, Kate and Edward beside Tom while Luke flanked them, a silent feeling of union strengthening their bond, their body language denoting their protection of Tom. 

~*~ 

Their History class was often disturbed by the sound of quiet snickers and giggles as some students whispered among themselves. Tom sat surrounded by his friends, Edward at his right, Kate at his left and Luke behind him, pressing his pump every once in awhile. 

They were supposed to hand in their History papers today, and Luke didn't have the time to give Chris the one he had written for him. Still, he walked to the teacher to give out both assignments, mumbling an excuse or another when the woman asked him why he had Chris' paper with him. 

Tom was silently taking notes, his lips devoid of a smile and the classroom feeling a little foreign without his usual cheerful voice. Chris' seat at the back was empty, no one really knowing where the boy had gone to. Luke avoided looking at it, but he felt Chris' absence like a looming ghost that was about to pull his ankle. 

Another boy from Edward's right giggled and said something to Tom, probably asking Chris' exact words to invite him, but Edward kicked his desk' leg slightly and shot a "Shut up, Brian,", sparing Tom a quick look from the corner of his eye to make sure he was okay and hadn't crumpled in tears with Brian's words. 

Luke couldn't stand looking at Tom's forlorn face, the creased hem of his uniform shirt. He had seen, however, when Tom had distractedly taken out a tiny, crushed yellow flower from his breastpocket, putting it carefully at the corner of his binder and looking up at the teacher again. Luke knew where that flower was from, from the bush next to the playground where Chris and his friends used to loiter around a lot. The implications made him feel a new wave of dizziness, and Kate looked worriedly at him when he sucked in his pump once more. 

A boy returned from the bathroom, opening their classroom's door and taking his seat back before beckoning one of his friends over to giggle and whisper. His friend laughed, ignoring the teacher's hard look to beckon another of his friend and suddenly the whole class was snickering quietly at some secret. 

Brian, the boy that had tried to bother Tom earlier, had apparently heard about the news, because he turned to them and said out loud, "Hey, Tom, they say Chris is at the boys bathroom on the third floor right now, crying like a baby." 

"Shut up, Brian." Kate intervened fiercely, not looking put down when the teacher reprimanded her along with Brian for speaking out loud during class. 

Luke saw Tom's hurtful look, though, and the way he looked down at his binder immediately, gulping as he struggled to write down the day's lesson. Luke felt like crying, like standing up to go check on Chris on their HQ, but he didn't know what he would say to him, what Chris could say or do to him. It was inexplicable, but Luke would rather do a million lessons for him and Chris than to have to go through this. 

No one said anything after the teacher's loud reprimand, and the fun died down after some time, Luke sighing in relief when the classroom was finally swept into silence. 

~*~ 

After the weekend, Chris' embarrassing invitation was more or less forgotten. Luke had almost pretended to be sick so his mother wouldn't let him go to school that Monday, but he realized he'd have to face Chris one way or another, so he arranged his antiseptic wipes and put up with it. 

He met Kate and Tom for their first class, glad that he could stay glued to their side. Tom's presence was now a certificate for Chris' absence, wherever Tom went Chris was at least in a fifteen meters radius of distance. Luke tried not to think about it. 

Without Chris to ask after homeworks and papers, Luke's grades had increased slightly. He had only caught sight of Chris once that the week, sat quietly on his seat at the back of the room, not looking up from his notebook once. Tom had spent the entirety of the class rigid beside them, snooping sad looks Chris' way every once in awhile. 

Even though Tom's mood increased with time, he was never the same. His laughter took longer to arrive when Edward told them jokes - and Edward's jokes were very good -, he always looked above his shoulder when they were having lunch at the cafeteria, as though expecting someone to come poke his shoulder and ask to talk to him. The children from their class had stopped teasing him about it when Kate had an outburst and reminded everyone that they had to have at least one of Tom's pencils which they had never returned. Slowly, they had come up to him to apologize, and Tom's smile turned radiant again. 

Not Luke, not Kate nor Edward ever brushed the topic of Chris, sensing that Tom became strange whenever someone as much as said his name. Luke was still deeply afficted with guilt though, and had stood on his and Chris' bathroom at the third floor during two hours one day, just waiting for him to show up so he could apologize and/or be beaten to an inch of his life. Chris didn't show up, though, and Luke realized the boy was avoiding him. He would've prefered a punch. 

~*~ 

They had a Math test tomorrow, and their PE teacher had been stricken with a cold, which left the class with a free period today; so instead of talking and gossiping, they all went to the playground, gathering in small groups and revising the subject. 

Luke sat with Edward, Tom and Kate as usual, because now they were an official group of friends. They had their notebooks open on their laps, exchanging informations and tips while redoing the exercises. 

Luke couldn't point out exactly when Kate and Edward had started discussing one question, one insisting the other's answer was wrong. They stood up to ask Lily, the best Math student of their class, leaving Tom and Luke by themselves. 

Humming, Luke frowned as he tried to find the right answer to a problem, biting the end of his pencil - the one he'd borrowed from Tom. He got it wrong and twice, and decided to ask for Tom's help, "Tom, how did you do this one?" he turned to Tom, finding the boy pensive, fingering the withered petal of the flower he still had tucked in his binder. 

Tom didn't answer him though, and when he looked up to find to find Luke's gaze on the flower he shrugged. They stayed in silence for a minute before Tom began "You know, Luke, I never meant to do that to him." Luke froze, not asking what he was talking about because they both knew whom Tom was referring to. "I was mean." Tom continued sadly. "But I couldn't-" he trailed off. "I know what he did to you." 

Luke gaped. "What?" 

Tom looked up, staring into his eyes bravely. "I know what Chris did to you, Luke. He made you do his homeworks for him, wasn't it? That's why you were always so tired." 

Luke took in a breath but failed to respond. They both knew that Tom was saying the truth though, and Tom seemed to sense he wouldn't incriminate Chris openly, so he stared at his binder and pretended to scratch something. "That's called bullying, Luke." Tom whispered, his disapproval of the act clear in the way he said the word. "You should've told me, or Kate, or Eddie, or even the teacher." 

"I- I don't know." Luke mumbled, wanting to interrupt Tom to say something to defend Chris. 

Tom shook his head, serious, pausing to look at Luke. "If he was threatening you-" 

"He wasn't." Luke cut in. His own courage felt foreign to him, but he knew he needed to right what he had done. He had lied to Chris, and though the other boy hadn't behaved like a saint either, it wasn't right. Dragging Tom into this had been mean, unfair of his part. On his defense he didn't know things would get this out of hand because his intentions weren't entirely bad. But he was lying to Tom too, now, by omiting what he had told Chris; but this Luke had a say over. This part of the future he could change. 

Tom looked up at him with a frown. 

"Tom, there's something that I need to tell you," Luke said, swallowing the clogged lump that had taken residence in his throat. 

~*~ 

Tom was a little upset. He couldn't understand why Luke had confirmed that Tom had told him he'd like to be invited by Chris. "I wanted to help him," Luke said, though deep down he knew he meant I wanted to help myself. 

Tom swallowed, looking at him as if he knew Luke's real motives. They stared at each other for some time, Tom biting his bottom lip. "He never threatened me, I mean," Luke added. "I don't know what would've happened if I said no but," he shrugged. Tom nodded quietly, and Luke's chest heaved with his next breath. "Will you forgive me, Tom?" 

There was a moment of absolute imprecision, where Luke dangled between a line of guilt and expectative, until Tom smirked, looking up at him before saying "I'm not the one you owe an apology to." 

~*~ 

Chris was sat at the playground, his friends nowhere nearby as he - Luke startled - read a book under the old willow tree. Luke and Tom stood at a distance, both watching the lonely figure. "I don't know, Tom," Luke said, shifting on his feet uncertainly. "What if he punches me?" 

Tom laughed. "He won't. Come on, I'll go with you." 

Luke licked his lips, analyzing Tom's features, calmer than he had ever seen him before when all of this had started. "What if he punches me and then punches you?" Luke wouldn't disconsider that possibility. 

That made Tom laugh, the boy clapping a hand over his own mouth when Chris startled at a distance, searching the source of his favourite tinkling laugh. Chris found them, and pressing his lips together, spun to store his book in his backpack before standing up to leave. Luke stood petrified while Tom's mirthful face fell, the boy quickly following Chris. 

"Chris, wait." Tom shouted, running to meet him. Luke could see Chris' bobbing Adam's apple from this distance, and breathing through his mouth to calm his racing heart, followed Tom's lead until he stood beside his friend, Chris in front of them, his and Tom's eyes locked. 

"Luke," Tom said, still not taking his eyes away from Chris. "Could you please tell Chris that thing you've been wanting to?" 

Luke tried to make himself look as small and unharmful as possible, though it wasn't necessary because Chris still wasn't looking to him. "I- I'm sorry, Chris." he began. "I lied to you that day. When you asked me if Tom had told me that you should invite him." Luke shrugged, chancing a look up to find them still engrossed in each other. "But I didn't want to do your homeworks anymore and I think you were wrong for making me do it." 

Chris swallowed soundly. "You know, Luke, I never wanted you to do my homeworks." he said, finally breaking his and Tom's intense gaze to look at Luke, the boy squirming embarrassedly. "I only meant to ask for your help, because your grades were really good." It was Chris' turn to shrugg embarrassedly. "But when you started doing all of them I let it happen." he paused. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that." 

Luke's mouth fell open. He hadn't been waiting for that. Beside him, Tom beamed. 

"And I," Tom said, attracting their attention to him, looking at Chris with kind eyes. "I thought you were bullying Luke, Chris. That's why I couldn't accept your invitation. I'm sorry." 

Chris smiled, and Luke was a little scared for how handsome he suddenly looked. Feeling a little left out, Luke hummed as Tom and Chris continued to make moony eyes at each other, and hiding a smile of his own, gave a step back before stating, "Hm, I think I should go now. My mother asked me to meet her at the school's gate after class and," he trailed off, realizing none of them had heard what he had said. Sighing, Luke shook his head, "Never mind." he mumbled, making his way back to the school's front gate. He halted, eyes suddenly attracted to the yellow bush at the corner. Thinking quickly, Luke ran and hid himself behind it, sneezing at the pollen before sneaking a peek. 

Chris and Tom remained as they were when Luke had left, in front of each other, except now they were smiling and Tom was blushing. He said something to Chris which Luke couldn't hear very well, but Chris nodded, and Luke inched closer. 

"So when you said that-" 

"I didn't mean to." Tom interrupted, rubbing the back of his arm. "But I loved the flower you gave me, I keep it with me." Tom gulped. "And that thing you said about my eyes, I liked that too." he confessed, smiling coyly. 

Luke sneezed again, reaching back for his spray, only hearing the next part as Tom said "I'd love to go to the party with you, Chris," to which Luke's heart soared, a weight being lifted off his shoulders. He looked up to find Tom and Chris locked in an embrace, and smiled. 

Luke rose, laughing quietly to himself. He batted the dirt away from his knees, inching his glasses up his nose when he realized Chris and Tom had their heads in a certain angle that- God, they were kissing. Not just any kiss, a kiss that, wow. Luke staggered back when Chris' hand slid lower and of course that was Tom's ass. 

Swallowing nervously, he ran before something else could happen which he wouldn't want to witness. 

~*~ 

Chris and Tom started dating not one month later, which meant their group included Chris almost as fast as Tom had went back to smiling again. Luke would sometimes talk to him only to turn and find he and Chris making out right beside him, which made him blush and Kate and Edward laugh. 

Things fell back into place and whenever Chris needed help with a paper, Luke was there to help him, that is, before Tom showed up because they both lost focus when the other arrived. 

Chris never used his size to intimidate anyone, but one day, catching sight of Tom's case brimming with pencils, Luke had looked up to find the bigger boy smiling, winking his way when Tom gasped in surprise. 

"My pencils, they all gave them back!" 

~*~ 

When they graduated, Luke was their class' speaker, his mother pridefully snapping photo after photo of him. He got accepted into numerous colleges but coursed the one with the best History department. It was sad to leave his neighborhood behind and with it the memories he had built up in it, but Luke looked up to the future. 

One day, hit with sudden inspiration, Luke sat down in front of his computer, and when his book got published, he sent Tom and Chris invitations for the debut. He had high hopes that they would read between the lines of his history about the misunderstood big boy, who fought his way against prejudice and bullying and conquered his crush' heart with a field of yellow flowers. Unfortunately, though, neither Chris nor Tom showed up for the debut. 

Luke thought he'd never see them again when after leaving his wife at work, he found a mail from their school, inviting him to participate on their party, to reencounter his old classmates. 

The school was still the same, only some things had changed, like the front lawn and the playground at the back. Luke had arrived one hour earlier than he was supposed to, and upon roaming the hallways, had found a panel, in it, a pamphlet advertising his own book. There was a man in front of it, and Luke would've recognized that head of blond curls anywhere. 

"Tom?" he asked, approaching him quietly. 

Tom turned around, gasping in surprise. "Luke!" They hugged tightly. Tom was taller than he was, his body had developed nicely. He was thin but still as graceful as ever. "How are you doing? Oh my god, me and Chris are so sorry we couldn't make it to your debut." he apologized, a hand still firm on Luke's shoulder. 

Luke waved it away. "No problem." 

They discussed the news. "Did you hear it?" Tom asked, "I heard Ben is the principal now." 

Luke laughed, throwing his head back, which he had learned with Tom. "I had a feeling he'd never leave this school." 

Tom shook his head, eyes on the printed copy of Luke's bookcover at the panel. "God, look at us, Luke. We're so old." 

Luke chuckled. "We're twenty-seven, Tom. I think we're quite all right." 

Tom shrugged, turning to him happily. "So you and Kate, hn?" he teased, Luke blushing and shrugging. "Congratulations, man. I wish I could've come to the wedding." Luke brushed it away. "What about her? She's a doctor, isn't she?" 

"Yes." Luke said, "Specialized in respiratory diseases. Because of my asthma, you know?" 

Tom chuckled. "That's awesome." he replied, staring at Luke's bookcover again. Luke shifted on his feet. He wanted to ask after Chris, seeing as the man wasn't here with Tom now, but even though he and Kate had worked out, he figured perhaps Tom and Chris hadn't along the way. It was strange to conceive such thought because in the back of his head, Luke had always imagined they'd be together forever. Licking his lips, he used the courage he had learnt with them that he possessed, and cocked his head to inquire after Chris. 

Tom didn't take his eyes away from Luke's book, only smiled when Luke asked. He blinked once before extending his left hand. "Look," he said, and there on his finger, lay an engagement ring. Luke gasped. "He's in a congress in Switzerland right now. That's why he couldn't come. Did you know he's an engineer?" 

Luke shook his head, Tom smirking. "Yes." he said, staring down at his own ring and smiling pridefully. "He's- He's amazing, Luke." he murmured, before beaming like he used to when they were children. "He proposed last week. We're thinking about marrying next July, at my family's summer house." Tom rolled his eyes. "Just because I told him I loved it there." 

"That's brilliant, Tom." Luke said when in truth, he found it lacked words to tell him how happy he was for them. No matter how much he tried Luke could never imagine that he would be granted such a pleasure in life as to have participated in their relationship. Despite the mess he had created and the hearts he had broken in the beginning of all of this, everything had worked out. If it wasn't for him, Tom and Chris wouldn't be together today, that ring on Tom's finger wouldn't be there, his heart wouldn't be bursting with happiness, though he doubted Chris and Tom's love for each other would've diminished. 

Tom fingered Luke's bookcover on the panel, gulping. "That's a beautiful story you wrote here, Luke." 

"Thank you." Luke said, "Did you read it?" 

Tom smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Oh, definitely. I wonder where you got the inspiration from, though." 

Luke laughed, and felt like he could do it forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :D If you could give me your thoughts on it I'd be more than happy!


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